CA HOV new decal issued: extended to 1.1.22

From reading the DMV website, if you had waited until January 1 to reapply, your stickers would expire on January 1, 2023 and not on January 1, 2022, so you lost a year of sticker use with this strategy.

 

I think the OP had already had an HOV sticker previously, so they would be limited to a 1/1/2022 expiration no matter what. Only Prime owners who have never applied for an HOV decal on their vehicle would be able to take advantage of a 1/1/2023 expiration by applying on 1/1/2019 or later.

 

No, I believe that is incorrect.

 

I called the California ARB about this (amazingly I got a live person to speak to in less than a minute).

If you already have a Green sticker (from 2017 or 2018) then you will get a red sticker good until 1/1/2022.

If you applied in 2016 or earlier (yellow sticker?) then you are SOL, unfortunately. You will rejoin the "teeming hordes" on 1/1/2019.

If your car has never had an HOV sticker on it (ever) and you apply on 1/1/2019 or later, you will get a ??? color sticker with an expiration of 1/1/2023.

If you send in a new HOV application this year, then you will have an expiration of 1/1/2022 like everyone else.

 

I read it again. Yes you are right. Sorry for the confusion.

 

No problem!

 

So I got my green sticker in May 2017, and I should go ahead and just apply for the red sticker now? No point waiting until 1/1/2019? Thanks!

 

Yes, there's no point in waiting. I saw some posts earlier indicating that the new red stickers are automatically sent?

 

Yes I read that too here in this thread. I am still waiting for my new red stickers.

 

Oh i thought they will automatically do that.

 

Did you happen to ask them, when (and how) us 2017ers can apply for the red stickers? Do we wait until after 1/1/19 to apply, or can we apply now in advance? And the procedure for current 2017 Green Sticker holders to apply for the continuing red one? Thanks!

 

@stevepea - Sorry, didn't think to ask them about that. They answered pretty quickly though. I would just give them a call.

 

Thanks, maybe I'll do that. Never hurts to be prepared before the rush of everyone with green stickers hearing about it on the local TV station all trying to re-apply on the same day...

 

I believe the person who said they got their stickers "automatically" actually reported them as damaged and was mailed a new set. Perhaps that would be a better approach if there is going to be some kind of delay in getting them by Jan. 1, 2019.

 

If you have to apply after January 1 and the current green stickers expire on the same date, there's going to be a period of time where you can't legally drive in the carpool lane while you are waiting for your new red stickers.

 

Was researching whether or not to apply for replacement for my green decal that was issued maybe march 2017?

"Green CAV decals are issued to vehicles that meet California’s Enhanced Advanced Technology Partial Zero-Emissions (Enhanced AT PZEV) or Transitional Zero-Emission (TZEV) standards for exhaust emissions. Vehicles that meet these requirements are usually plug-in Hybrids.

Note: Green CAV decals are valid only until January 1, 2019. New green CAV decals are no longer issued. Vehicle owners issued green decals on or after January 1, 2017, who are eligible for the red decal, will be mailed, to their address on file, a pre-filled CAV decal application form with instructions and a return envelope. The pre-filled applications are expected to be mailed around October 1, 2018."

 

There was an article in my local paper (East Bay Times) today that said we can apply for red stickers now without waiting for January 1 and not have to claim the replacement decal workaround. Did something change in the rules?

 

Just saw this on the website:

Note: Green CAV decals are valid only until January 1, 2019. New green CAV decals are no longer issued. Vehicle owners issued green decals on or after January 1, 2017, who are eligible for the red decal, will be mailed, to their address on file, a pre-filled CAV decal application form with instructions and a return envelope. The pre-filled applications are expected to be mailed around October 1, 2018.

So, those who got green stickers after January 1, 2017 will get this application in the mail!